counting down
by precarious mind
Summary: -For Roses of Sharon-KIBAHINA- Make a wish, and kiss it up to the flaming sky.


**Request fic for ****Roses of Sharon****, who is totally patient and awesome and tolerant and stuff.**

**Sorry for the lateness, but I cannot even put a number to the amount of times I started this over.**

**KibaHina, takes place **_**during**_** timeskip, and hopefully I remembered everything. **

**Also, though I always fail to mention this (until a reviewer recently advised I should add it into my notes): **_most of my typos are intentional_**. Like the lack of commas and fragments and words meshed together.**

'**tis how I write.**

**So. Er. Enjoy?**

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counting down

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Hanabi tends to think of her elder sister as a daffodil, the pretty weeds looking like flowers painted in sunshine that you can stomp or rip or uproot all you want but they will never die (always come back stronger and greater).

She's grown stubborn over the years, tougher and certainly brave.

(spread over the field like an army of the sunshine plants a sea of gold)

Hanabi likes to think she glows.

**-()-**

"Ne, where are you going nee-chan?"

Hinata turns around, away from the door that is only slightly open and shows only a sliver of the stained-red-sky.

"I'm just going to meet Kiba-kun somewhere, Hanabi-chan," she responds, smile small and pure.

"Again?" Hanabi asks, lips slightly pursed in something akin to contemplation. "You know tou-san doesn't like that boy."

"Ano," Hinata laughs lightly, the tinkle of wind chimes after a winter devoid of warmth, a breath of the freshest air. "Would you mind keeping this our little secret, then, Hanabi-chan?"

Her younger sister's face melts into a smile reminiscent of Hinata's.

"No problem," she says, words so soft. "I'll cover for you, nee-chan."

A hug.

A gust of summer air when the door is swung shut as the eldest walks into the bloody light.

And silence falls with the softness of a veil.

**-()-**

Kiba tends to think of his female teammate as the moon, the beautiful pale coin alight in the sky that makes the stars look dim in comparison and goes under appreciated for its worthiness (always back when night falls, never to fail anyone).

She has grown brighter over the years, happier and certainly optimistic.

(unpredictable as it rose in the sky maybe full maybe crescent maybe just a sliver of white)

Kiba likes to think she glows.

**-()-**

"I wanna take you somewhere, Hinata."

Hinata turns to gaze at her teammate from where they sit in the grass to stare at the ever-dark sky. A firefly drifts by, blinking lazily, on, off, on, off, until she loses track of it.

"Where, Kiba-kun?" she asks, eyes innocent and pale as the milky way above them.

He stands in sync with the growing Akamaru, grins like a silver wolf of old, offers his hand.

"Lemme show you."

And he pulls her up into his arms.

**-()-**

Her voice is so breathless when she says, "_Wonderful_," so tiny, Kiba thinks, as they sit atop the Hokage mountains and watch the brilliant meteor shower that has just begun.

Amongst the rocks hurtling through the sky, stones thrown, there is a tiny glimmer of sparkling light that he can see.

And, "Hinata, see the shooting star?"

Her eyes strain, but she can see it, she can see it.

"Yes," she whispers, leaning more fully against him.

"You should make a wish," _before it passes by._

Her eyelids close, and she bites her lip, and even though he knows she's so strong now, he can't help but to think how fragile she looks like that, so open so vulnerable.

Kiba closes his own eyes, and two wishes are kissed up towards the flaming sky.

(always-)

(-_and forever_)

**-()-**

Hanabi smiles as she stares out the window.

She wonders if her older sister can see the soaring star, and the streak of light it leaves in its wake.

**-()-**

Hinata does not think much about herself, and doesn't have much of an opinion on that matter. She is by no means lucky- luck is reserved for those that do not have the need to try, no work reaping all the benefits, and Hinata certainly _tries_- but perhaps fortunate in certain aspects.

Her clan, her team, her village, her friends, her newfound strength. Certainly not just luck.

She likes to think that, at times, she glows.

**-()-**

"Thank you, Kiba-kun. That was…beautiful," _perfect._

Kiba grins, canines sharp and glistening in the white moonlight cast over them like glimmering pixie dust, and shakes his shaggy head. "Eh, no problem."

He receives a sleepy smile in return, bright and shining in the shadows, and-

-it is worth it.

They reach the gate of her compound, and it is dead on the inside, everyone asleep and dreaming of fantasies that Day scares away.

Feet shuffling in the nervousness of maybe-goodbyes (do i lean in do i leave do i kiss her till her knees go numb do I do-i-do-i-do-i-do-i) they stare at one another, eyes on the red tattoos drawn over his narrowing cheeks, on the pale smooth skin of her collarbone.

And when they both lean towards one another at the same time, young eyes locked together with an invisible chain of inexperience and what-ifs and understanding, they have reached something new and raw and-

Akamaru yawns, and the spell is broken.

Eyes widen, as space is put between them and red poppies blossom over their cheeks.

Awkward silence, either for an eternity or a millisecond, until,

"Ano… good night, Kiba-kun."

She turns and walks away while he is still too scandalized to say anything, pretty smile of humor dancing on her face, and it isn't until she closes her front door behind her that he feels Akamaru nudging his hand and whining softly.

Sparing his dog a pat on the head, small token of comfort and the promise of a warm bed and biscuit awaiting at home, Kiba grins as broadly as ever.

Because he knows that _Before_, he would have been the one leaving her to flush in embarrassment at the roadside.

**-()-**

When Hinata enters her home, spirits high and giddy, Hanabi is still lying on the couch.

Her younger sister stirs sleepily, and sits up as a blanket is placed over her and a kiss is pressed on her brow.

"Go to sleep," Hinata instructs, and Hanabi nods as her elder sister leaves to do the same.

**-()-**

Hinata dreams of sharp grins and fire-in-the-sky and shards of stars floating to the ground while wishes are kissed up to the flaming sky.

(always)

(-_and forever_)

**-()-**

**Ah, man.**

**This came out really, really bad.**

**But, hey, I get to go to Pennsylvania tomorrow. Look me up.**

**-PM-**


End file.
